Lou Brown (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Louie Ernest Brown was a New Zealander
professional rugby league
footballer of the 1920s and '30s who at representative level played for New Zealand
, Other Nationalities
, and Auckland
. Brown played at , or .
competition, before moving to Auckland and playing in the Auckland Rugby League
competition for the Newton Rangers. He made his Auckland
debut against New South Wales
in 1922 as a seventeen year old. After the 1923 season
, Brown went to England and played for Wigan
as an amateur in several reserve games. On his return Brown joined City. Newton appealed, which was upheld by both the Auckland Rugby League
and the New Zealand Rugby League
. As a result he was suspended for three weeks until he rejoined the Newton club.
In 1927 he returned to England, joining Wigan as a professional.
Brown played in Wigan
's 13-2 victory over Dewsbury
in the 1928-29 Challenge Cup
final at Wembley Stadium on 4 May 1929.
Brown played, and scored a try, in Wigan
's 5-4 victory over Widnes
in the 1928-29 Lancashire Cup
final at Wilderspool Stadium
, Warrington
on 24 November 1928.
Brown also played for Halifax
and York
before returning to Auckland in time to represent New Zealand in 1935. He also had further stints in France, with Bordeaux, and Britain before suffering the illness that caused his death in 1947.
while at Wigan against England. Brown was part of the 1926-27 tour of Great Britain that was marred by player discontent. He captained the Kiwis in one test match against Australia in 1935.
New Zealanders
New Zealanders, colloquially known as Kiwis, are citizens of New Zealand. New Zealand is a multiethnic society, and home to people of many different national origins...
professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1920s and '30s who at representative level played for New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
, Other Nationalities
Other Nationalities rugby league team
The Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
, and Auckland
Auckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
. Brown played at , or .
Playing career
Brown originally played for the Ngaruawahia Panthers in the Waikato Rugby LeagueWaikato Rugby League
Waikato Rugby League is the local sporting body responsible for the administration of Rugby league in the Waikato region of New Zealand. The WRL are represented by the Waikato rugby league team...
competition, before moving to Auckland and playing in the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
competition for the Newton Rangers. He made his Auckland
Auckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
debut against New South Wales
New South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
in 1922 as a seventeen year old. After the 1923 season
1923 New Zealand rugby league season
The 1923 New Zealand rugby league season was the 16th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.-International competitions:New Zealand played in no international matches during the season.-Northern Union Cup:...
, Brown went to England and played for Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
as an amateur in several reserve games. On his return Brown joined City. Newton appealed, which was upheld by both the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
and the New Zealand Rugby League
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
. As a result he was suspended for three weeks until he rejoined the Newton club.
In 1927 he returned to England, joining Wigan as a professional.
Brown played in Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
's 13-2 victory over Dewsbury
Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
in the 1928-29 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final at Wembley Stadium on 4 May 1929.
Brown played, and scored a try, in Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
's 5-4 victory over Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
in the 1928-29 Lancashire Cup
Rugby league county cups
Historically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
final at Wilderspool Stadium
Wilderspool Stadium
Wilderspool Stadium is a rugby league stadium located in Warrington, England. The ground was Warrington RLFC's old ground before moving to the Halliwell Jones Stadium. It holds just over 9,000, after substantial decreases for crowd safety...
, Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
on 24 November 1928.
Brown also played for Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
and York
York City Knights
York City Knights Rugby League Club is a British professional rugby league club hailing from York. They play at the Huntington Stadium, situated to the north of York city centre...
before returning to Auckland in time to represent New Zealand in 1935. He also had further stints in France, with Bordeaux, and Britain before suffering the illness that caused his death in 1947.
Representative career
Brown won caps for New Zealand in 1926 against England (2 matches) and Wales, in 1927 against England, in 1935 against Australia (3 matches), and in 1936 against England (2 matches), and won cap(s) for Other NationalitiesOther Nationalities rugby league team
The Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
while at Wigan against England. Brown was part of the 1926-27 tour of Great Britain that was marred by player discontent. He captained the Kiwis in one test match against Australia in 1935.